Speculum



(No Model.) I 2 Sheets- Sheet 1.

. W. MOLESWORTH.

' SPEGULUM No. 400,589. Patented Apr. 2, 1889.

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. W. MOLESWORTH.

"SPEGULUM.

No. 400,589. Patented Apr 2. 1889 INVENTOR:

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WILLIAM MOLESVVORTH, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SPECULUM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,589, dated April 2,1889.

Application filed June 9, 1888. Serial No. 276,583. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM MOLESWORTH, of Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved CombinedIntra-Uterine, Cystic, and Rectum Speculum, of which the following is afull, clear,and exact description.

This invention has for its object to provide a speculum by means ofwhich the wall. of a passage or cavity may be dilated and access had toany portion of the wall while the passage or cavity is held in dilatedposition.

The invention consists in a speculum constructed and arranged ashereinafter described and claimed. Reference is to be had to theaccompanylng drawings, forming a part of this specificat1 on, in whichsimilar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention. Fig. 2 is a detailthereof, showing dilating-handle detached. Fig. 3 illustrates one of thedilating-fingers detached. Fig. 4 is a shield therefor removed. Fig. 5is a rear view-of the speculum with dilating-handle detached. Fig. 6represents the dilating-finger and shield connected together; and Fig. 7is a longitudinal section thereof, on the line :1; cc 1n Fig. 5, showingthe construction for dilat ing the fingers.

In the construction of this invention I provide an internally screwthreaded ring, 1, mounted on an arm, 2, extending rearward from the ring1 for a suitable distance, and

having a handle, 3. The arm 2 is curved out- Ward, as at 4, to bring theouter end of arm 2 and handle 3 in proper position for handling thespeculum, as will be hereinafter set forth.

The ring 1 is formed on its outer end with a lateral circumferentialflange, 5, having a series of slots, 6, in which rest the shanks 7 of anumber of dilating-fingers, 8, the shanks 7 extendingacross the side ofthe ring 1 and connected thereto by slotted lips 9 engaging projections10 on the inner end of the ring.

Within the ring 1 is mounted a screwthreaded tube, 11, engaging thescrew-thread of ring 1 and having a flange, 12, with notches 13. Thetube 11 is moved backward or for ward in the ring 1 by means of ahandle, 1 1,

and rod 15, provided at its end with a plate, 16, having lugs 17, whichfit into the notches 13. The outer end of the tube 11 is formed with arounded edge, 18, which bears against the curved inner portions, 19, ofthe fingers 8 adjacent to their shanks 7.

It will be seen that upon advancing the tube 11 its outer end will pressagainst the curved portions 19 of the fingers 8 and dilate the latter.

In employing the speculum the fingers 8, in closed position, as shown inFig. 1, are introduced into the passage or cavity, the speculum beingheld in position by the handle 3, which, owing to the shape of arm 2,gives room for observation through tube 11 and operation of the latter.The fingers 7 maybe then dilated by engaging the lugs 17 with notches 13of tube lland operating the handle 14 to advance the tube 11.Observation of the passage or cavity thus dilated may be had through thetube 11, the interior of the passage or cavity being illuminated bymeans of electric light introduced through tube 11.

In order to see and have access to any portion of the wall of thepassage or cavity, one or more, as may be necessary, of the fingers 8are detached. This is effected by means of a projection, 20, on the endof rod 15, having a bent end, 21, which engages a hole, 22, in the shank7 of a finger 8. By drawing on the handle 14 the finger 8 is releasedfrom engagement with projection 10 and removed. In

this way a, tumor resting on one or more of the fingers will drop downand be suspended in the cavity upon the removal of those fingers.

To prevent the angles of the fingers 8 from injuring the walls ofcertain passages or cavities, they are provided with shields 23, roundedon their outer portion and at their outer end and easily attached to anddetached from the fingers 8 by means of a sleeve, 24, within the shield23. It will thus be seen that by means of a speculum constructed asherein set forth the female urethra, cervix uteri, the rectum, a sinus,or a cyst may be easily dilated, and any cavity or passage can bethoroughly explored and the walls thereof held in dilated position whilea portion thereof is exposed for examination, operation, or treatment.

By means of the fingers being detachable the invention may be used as abivalve speculum.

The fingers may be used with or without the shields, as desired.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desiretosecure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with'the dilatable fingersof a speculum, of removable shields, substantially as described.

2. A speculum consisting of a ring and supporting-handle, and a seriesof dilatable and removable fingers detachably engaging the ring, incombination with a tube having a screw-threaded connection with the ringand movable therein to operate the fingers, and a handle for screwingand unscrewing the tube and detaching and withdrawing the fingers,substantially as shown and described.

A speculum consisting of an internallyscrew-threaded ring, 1, havingrear projections, 10, lateral flange 5, with slots 6, and a handle forsupporting ring 1, and a series of dilatable and detachable fingers, 8,with shanks '7, having holes 22, and slotted lips 9 engaging projections10, in combination with tube 11, engaging screw-thread of ring 1, andhaving flange 12 with slots 13, and the detachable handle 14, with rod13, having at its end a plate, 16,with lugs 17, and a projection, 20,with bent arm 21, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a speculum substantially as herein described, a dilatable anddetachable finger, 8, in combination with shield 23, having a roundedsurface and outer end, and a sleeve, 24, with which finger 8 is held inengagement, substantially as shown and described.

WILLIAM MOLESVVORTH.

Witnesses:

EDWARD W. CADY, O. SEDGWICK.

